Stewart and Pullen win School Board races

Shirley Stewart (Rivanna) and Andrew Pullen (Columbia) won the two contested School Board seats tonight (Nov. 7) according to unofficial results from the Fluvanna County Clerk’s office.

Votes cast for Stewart bested her opponent, Tyler Pieron, by 1,286 to 625 votes, or 66.6 percent to 32.4 percent.

Stewart said she could not have done it without her local volunteers.

“I am humbled by the support I’ve gotten from the community,” she said. “I appreciate all the people who helped me throughout the campaign. I know my work now is just beginning.”

Pullen bested his opponent Linda Staiger, who ran a write-in campaign. Unofficially, 778 voted for Pullen; 463 wrote in a candidate’s name. It’s not reported what name each of the write-in votes were for. Pullen won 62.7 percent of the vote, while 37.3 percent went for a write-in candidate.

Pullen shared his thoughts on the win.

“Linda Staiger ran a very coordinated and diligent write-in campaign,” Pullen texted. “I’m humbled by all of the support and am looking forward to getting to work for the Columbia District.”

Charles Rittenhouse (Cunningham) ran unopposed.

When School Board Chair Carol Carr (Rivanna) and Vice Chair Camilla Washington (Columbia) announced they would not run for re-election, it opened the doors for new faces on the Board.

Pieron, a federal government worker and volunteer, reserve deputy sheriff, and Stewart, a retired teacher and part-time University of Virginia graduate student supervisor, filed paperwork to run for the Rivanna seat. Pullen, a firefighter, and Staiger, an artist and retired orthopedic surgeon, filed for the Columbia seat. Later, due to an error, Staiger was removed from the ballot and decided to run a write-in campaign.